News, July 15th

Glenwood Springs—The Garfield County Board of Commissioners officially adopted a new and improved land use code. After months of meetings and negotiations with citizens and the Planning and Zoning Commission, the board unanimously approved amended Articles 1 through 16 of the 2008 Land Use Code. The primary goal of the commissioners is to improve efficiency and reduce economic barriers to development such as red tape and burdensome regulations.

GARFIELD COUNTY TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON RECREATIONAL WEED

Glenwood Springs—Garfield County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on an ordinance to ban recreational marijuana. The tentative date for the hearing is August 19th. Under the guidelines of the voter-approved Amendment 64, local governments have the option of coming up with regulations or banning establishments altogether.

MEDICAL WEED OUT OF CONTROL IN COLORADO ACCORDING TO AUDIT

Denver—A dozen doctors in Colorado have issued half of the medical marijuana recommendations and the state is not providing enough oversight so only qualified individuals get referrals to use the drug according to an audit released today. The report found that the doctors were responsible for 50 percent of the current 108 thousand medical weed “red cards” as of March. Auditors say some doctors have also prescribed higher than reasonable amounts of pot. The audit found that one patient in particular received a recommendation for over 500 plants. Auditors say the Department of Public Health and Environment has not referred a doctor for investigation to the Colorado Medical Board for over two and a half years.

BRONCOS EXECUTIVES PUNISHED BY TEAM FOR DUI ARRESTS

ENGLEWOOD (AP) — The Denver Broncos have suspended two executives who are facing drunken driving charges. Director of player personnel Matt Russell was suspended indefinitely without pay Monday, and director of pro personnel Tom Heckert was suspended for a month without pay. Executive vice president John Elway’s top two advisers were arrested and jailed on suspicion of drunken driving in separate incidents within a month of each other. On July 6, Russell hit two vehicles, including a police SUV in Breckenridge, injuring an officer. Russell registered a 0.246 percent breath alcohol content, three times the legal threshold for a DUI violation in Colorado, according to the arrest affidavit. Heckert’s blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.162 percent upon his release seven hours after his June 11 arrest in Parker, according to a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office report.